J.K. Rowling A Biography (Paperback)

~ (Author) "MR AND MRS ROWLING, of number 109, Sundridge Park, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much..." (more)
Key Phrases: boy wizard, Harry Potter, Joanne Rowling, Christopher Little (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Based on exhaustive research, interviews with those who know her and a penetrating evaluation of the novels, this is the first full-length biography of one of the most important writers in the world today. She is the creator of probably the best-known and certainly the best-loved character in contemporary fiction; she is also the author of her own escape from an existance on the brink of poverty, with no job and few prospects. On the one hand there is J.K. Rowling, who wrote and continues to write, the Harry Potter novels, a literary phenomenon of both the last millenium, and the new one. On the other, there is Joanne Rowling, a quiet, dreamy, rather shy woman whose brilliance in translating her dreams into prose transformed her own life. The author examines the experiences that not only helped to shape J.K. Rowling, but that led in the end, as in all the best fairy tales, to fame and fortune. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Sean Smith's richly varied writing and journalistic career has left him well equipped to write the biography of a novelist who at times seems to be almost as secretive as she is famous and successful. A former national newspaper columnist who now works as a freelance writer, he began his career with local newspapers in the West Country, before moving to London, where he spent ten years as a show-business and gossip writer with the Daily Mirror, and a further two and a half with the Sunday People. He left to launch and manage his own medical magazine, and it was this taste of editorial independence that led him to become a full-time writer.

His first book, Sophie's Kiss, about the relationship between Prince Edward and the then Sophie Rhys-Jones, was published in 1997 and became an international bestseller. It was followed by When You Walk Through the Storm, about the Hillsborough football tragedy, Stone Me!, a Rolling Stones companion, and the highly acclaimed rugby history The Union Game, published by BBC Worldwide. His most recent work, Royal Racing , about the principal sporting interest of the Queen and the Queen Mother, was published by BBC Worldwide in March 2001.

A veteran of countless TV and radio programs, Sean Smith has been described by the Independent as 'a fearless chronicler'. He has commented that, "The life of Joanne Rowling is a wonderful subject, combining serious social issues with enormous popular appeal." Like the novelist, he comes from the West Country, and has contacts with a number of her friends, teachers, former classmates and neighbors, enabling him to base his biography on exclusive interviews with these and others who know her. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books; Revised edition (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843170175
• ISBN-13: 978-1843170174
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,113,884 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and interesting!, October 22, 2001

By	Anne Jacobs (Hartford, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: J. K. Rowling A Biography (Hardcover)

I've read all the HP books and am a big fan so I was pleased to find a good biography of JK Rowling as Marc Shapiro's from last year was too thin and not very enlightening. This one is much more interesting and follows JK's life through from when she was little girl all through her education and the subsequent creation of Harry Potter on a train up to the present day. It's a pleasure to read a good rags to riches story - and in case you've read all those articles about her writing in cafes you can find out here that there is a lot more to JK Rowling than that! I recommend this book if you're a Harry Potter fan, especially if you like the game of spotting where all the inventive names in the books come from - you might not agree with Sean Smith but it's fun to play!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Former Rowling Teacher Approves of First Biography, May 6, 2002

By	Dale L. Neuschwander (USA St. Joseph, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: J. K. Rowling A Biography (Hardcover)

Sean Smith's brilliant biography of J.K. Rowling was a must read for me. Joanne Rowling was a gifted and talented writer in one of the English classes I taught as a student teacher abroad at Wyedean School in the late seventies. Naturally, I wanted to learn as much as possible about what she had been doing in the intervening years. Smith's book did not disappoint. He tells the story of the development of this major talent much in the way J.K. Rowling hooks and holds the reader's attention. He combines a compelling subject with his clever and very readable prose to produce a book that is sure to satisfy Rowling's legion of fans at home and abroad. His tireless research and intelligent insights into connections between his subject's life and the mythology she creates in her fiction are highly credible. There are many surprises here, even for those already familiar with Rowling's amazing rise to the top of the publishing world. Smith's writing entertains without sensationalizing. He remains true to his subject just as she maintains fidelity to the workings of the adolescent imagination which informs her writing. Ultimately this literary jewel sparkles like J.K. Rowling eyes on the cover photograph. Smith describes her in the conclusion as a woman who looks rich. I would add that Smith's writing feels rich in its detail and insights into the formative experiences and major events of J.K. Rowling's inspiring life. Just as with a Harry Potter book, I was saddened to find the last page come all too soon. Fortunately, there is much more to come from J.K. Rowling, which should make for further updates to her biography. Smith will remain my biographer of choice.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of interesting facts...., February 13, 2004

By	Antonio Howell "drhowell.net" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I always wondered why someone would use a name that started with initials. This and other interesting facts are explained in this book by Sean Smith about the life of JK Rowling. If you are a fan of the Harry Potter series this book would be an enjoyable read.